Improvement in harvester-rakes



yl. S. TRUXELL. Harvester-Rakes.

No.y 137,510. temedApm1,1a7s.

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UNITED STATES JOHN S. TRXELL, OF GREENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PATENT OFFICE.

|MPRovEMENT |N HARVESTER-amas.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,510, dated April 1, 1873 5 application led Maren 10, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. TRUXELL, of Greensburg, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Gam for Operating Harvester-Rakes, of which the following is a specification:

Figure l is a side elevation, showing thel rake-arm thrown up on the rib G3. Fig. 2 isl a side elevation, showing the arm down on the way G2. Fig. 3 is a top view of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4. is a central vertical section.

This invention relates to that class of harvesters which employ automatic rakes. to sweep the straw ofi' the platform. In such harvesters it is a desideratum to have the rakes under control to such an extent that they may be causedeither to sweep the straw off the platform, or to pass above the straw without disturbing it, in order that when the straw is light it may be allowed to accumulate in a sufficient quantity to form a sheaf of the desired size. My invention has for its object to provide an apparatus by which the rakes can be made adjustable so as either to sweep the grain olf the platform7 or not to sweep it, as may be desired. To this end my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts which l will now proceed to describe.

In the accompanying drawing, A represents a yoke fastened on the inner end ofthe cutter- On the top of the yoke is mounted a sheave, B, having a hollow concentric sleeve, C, projecting from the central part of its upper side; and from the same side, near its periphery, lugs D in pairs, between each pair the inner end of one of the rakearms, E, being pivoted, which arms have prongs If, that extend inward over the cam G. This cam is cast with a shaft, H, that extends down through the sleeve O and sheave B, and is fastened to the under side ofthe yoke A, said shaft forming the bearing on which the sheave B turns when connected by a chain with a pulley on the end of the drive-wheel axle. Throughthe shaft H and cam G runs a rod, I, which has a bent arm, J, at its lower end beneath the shaft H, and another bent arm, K, at its upperend above the cam G. The cam is constructed on one side, with a portion, G1, elevated above the remainder G2 of the edge. It is also constructed with a curved rib, G3, situated at some distance from the edge G2 and parallel therewith, said rib ter-` minating abruptly at one end, and at the other running into the elevated part G1. L is a switch, having a shank pivoted to the outer end of the arm K, the heel of the switch being jointed to the. cam Gat the end of the rib G3. The switch has a sloping upper side, which forms a bridge between the top of the rib G3 and the surface of the depressed part of the cam G.

lVhen it is desired that the rakes shall sweep the straw oll the platform the driver,

by applying his hand or foot to the arm J, turns the switch L into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, where it is continuous with the rib G3. Then the prongs F, as they descend from.the elevated part G1, pass the switch, and run along the edge or way G2 to the other end of the part G1, thereby causing the rakes to traverse the surface of the platform. On the other hand, if the driver turns the switch into the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, the point of the switch is thereby thrown outward so far that it intercepts the prongs F, and conducts them to the top of the rib G3, along which they run` to the part G1 again, and are by such rib suspended above the platform so as not to disturb the grain there- It will thus be seen that the cam G has two continuous ways, of one of which the switch L forms a part, said switch bein gy also the agent by whose means the rakes are directed upon one or the other of the said ways.

M is a vertical offset depending from the edge of the cam G, j ust at the end of the ele. vated portion G1, and at the point which the rake-arms pass just before they reach the cutter-bar. The office of the offset is to prevent the rakearms from rising as they approach the cutter-bar, it being desirable that they should be held down, in order tobend the straw over upon the cutter-bar, and thus facilitate the cutting of the straw.

I claim as my improvement-l The cam G, constructed with the elevated part G1, continuous edge G2, and curved rib G3, in combination with pivoted switch L, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

Witnesses: JOHN S. TRUXELL.

GEo. E. BROWN, 4 MELVILLE CHURCH. 

